How to spend 2 days in Amsterdam and love it – my recommended weekend itinerary

The perfect itinerary for 2 days in Amsterdam in spring: best places to see in Amsterdam, great city museums, restaurants and shopping areas

A weekend in Amsterdam is one of my favorite treats. One of my closest friends lives in the city and I am her regular guest.

On a normal year, I go to Amsterdam at least 6 times (!), with 2 days in Amsterdam city each time. So, as you can imagine, I have grown rather fond of the city and I have an opinion or two about how to make the most of your time there.

The last couple of years, however, my presence in the city was a little more sporadic, so the last time I went, I decided to explore the city as if it was new to me and made an itinerary that included top attractions and ‘standard’ tourist things, as a way to get reacquainted with the city.

This is also why I decided to share it. This is a great itinerary for a first trip and mixes the best of both worlds, in my opinion: the chance to see Amsterdam’s top attractions and insider tips for special finds such as restaurants and bars.

I hope you enjoy it!

This itinerary is based on our girls getaways but works also for couples or even solo travelers. If you have kids, you can follow this but may want to include a kids’ attraction, for instance Nemo or the Zoo. Find here >>> the best things to do in Amsterdam with kids.

Please note: this post contains affiliate links and, should you make a purchase through them, I might make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

The restaurant recommendations come from my own taste and experience and are in no way sponsored (I pay for all my meals and never even mention I may write about them).

2 days in Amsterdam itinerary at a glance

DAY 1	WHAT YOU WILL SEE
Breakfast / brunch	(suggestions below!)
Morning stroll in Jordaan	Eg: Amsterdam Canal Ring, BoatHouse, Anne Franke House, Cat Boat
Lunch in Nine Streets	Pretty cafes and concept stores
Dam Square and City Center	Amsterdam monumental center and shopping area
Dinner + Post dinner drinks	(suggestions below!)
DAY 2	WHAT YOU WILL SEE
Breakfast / brunch	(suggestions below!)
Morning visit to a museum	Eg: Rijks, Van Gogh, Straat…
Lunch i	(suggestions below!)
Afternoon Canal Cruise	Canal Ring and Amsterdam Top sites from the water
Dinner	(suggestions below!)

The best things to do in Amsterdam and top Amsterdam attractions

As you can see from my itinerary above, I planned the weekend to have some structured time spent in museums and a canal cruise but also plenty of time for leisurely strolls in characteristics neighborhood.

I have made sure to include what I believe to be the tops things to see in Amsterdam for a first trip.

• Amsterdam Canal Ring Amsterdam is a city of canals, and its’s all city center is contained into what is known as the ‘Canal Ring’ (Grachtengordel). Enjoying the canal area is as simple as taking a stroll along the water: my favorite areas for canal charm are Jordaan and the area between Prinzengracht and the Amstel. I also recommend taking a canal cruise so you can see the city from the water: it’s a fantastic way to cover a lot of ground and get wonderful photos of the city without the crowds!

• Museum Plein – Museum Plain is a very large esplanade around which several museums cluster (hence the name). The reason to come here are of course the museums themselves (Rijks and Van Gogh are here, among others) but the Plein is sort of an attraction in itself too as it is beautiful and often hosts events such a Christmas markets and ice skating rink (in season)

• Rijks Museum One of the great museums of the world, famous especially for its collection of Dutch Masters’s. Advance purchase of tickets a must (sells out super fast!), buy them here

• Van Gogh Museum One of the best places to enjoy the art of Van Gogh. Advance booking of tickets a must. Get them here.

• Anne Frankes’ House keeps memory of the dramatic events Anne so genuinely described in the her diary and is now open to the public. A meaningful, lest we forget visit.

• Dam Square – Amsterdam central square, where the first ‘Dam’ was built. The square is a large esplanade with the National Monument in the center and is overlooked by the Royal Palace, the impressive New Kerke (church).

• Amsterdam’s Boat House Museum – Amsterdam canals are dotted with boat houses, but they are private and therefore you cannot get an idea of how they are inside unless you have friends who live on one. however, you can go to the houseboat museum which gives an idea of how a traditional houseboat looks like an operates!

• Amsterdam Cat boat If you don’t like cats you may disagree about the inclusion of a cat shelter in the list of the best things to do in Amsterdam but I love cats so for me, it belongs here! The cat boat is a shelter and it is just what it seems: a boat where stray cats live under the loving care of cat lovers to make sure they have a safe space to thrive

• Amsterdam Begijnhof – Amsterdam Begijnhof is a secluded, enclosed yard overlooked by some of the oldest houses in Amsterdam. Originally the residence of the beguines, religious ladies who lived and prayed in this small community, now it is a pleasant, beautiful and historical corner of the city where you can go to escape the crowds and tap into Amsterdam’s cultural history. 

• Amsterdam Parks: Amsterdam has very pretty parks. Vondelpark is the best known and a great place for a relaxed afternoon after a museum visit especially (it’s close to Museumplein). The park has cafes, lawns and playgrounds and it always busy on a sunny day

• The Nine Streets (de Negen Straatjes) – The nine streets is an area of 9 streets with pretty architecture and a plethora of cafes, restaurants and concept stores.

• The red light district – Amsterdam’s famous red light district is worth seeing but not for the reason you think! The reason the red light district makes this list is not the view at the windows but the fact that this is the oldest part of Amsterdam and it’s architecture is significant and worth seeing. Of course, most people who come here do not come here for the architecture so if you want to browse the area for other reasons, you won’t be alone!

• Amsterdam Noord is a fun part of Amsterdam located on the opposite side of the Ij, north of the train station. This area has grown in popularity and appeal in the last 10 years and is now a great place for beer gardens and quirky cafes. The A’Dam Lookout and Film Museum are here.

• Our Lord in The Attic is a church hidden in an attic! It is a very peculiar place to see as it is truly unexpected and a great opportunity to learn about Amsterdam’s history in the 17th century!

Best places to eat in Amsterdam during a getaway trip – my 2 days in Amsterdam restaurant shortlist!

Lately, my favorite places in Amsterdam are:

• The Hoxton (brunch) – https://goo.gl/maps/SXV1UE53ZGBZmZTu9
• Dignita (brunch) https://g.co/kgs/DxB7vkp
• Conservatorium (coffee, drinks) Paulus Potterstraat 50, 1071 DB Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Gitane (main meal, Michelin Bib Gourmand) https://g.co/kgs/fQSbsPm
• Ysbreeaker https://g.co/kgs/VUkJqBF
• Mangia Pizza (proper Italian pizza!) https://g.co/kgs/dJJN5Vb
• Ku Kitchen (Japanese) https://goo.gl/maps/KmCpdgrKpf323BGdA
• Bar: The Vault at Waldorf Astoria https://goo.gl/maps/3ExqbgjdRAUba2c56

Where to stay in Amsterdam for a weekend

The best are to stay in Amsterdam is the city center, inside the Canal Ring.

Amsterdam city center is pretty compact and, in general, once you stay inside the canal ring, you know you are in a convenient location for sightseeing.

Places you may like are:

The Pulitzer: top end option

Mr Jordaan: a beautiful boutique hotel with neutral tones and amazing staff 

Nine Street Inn, a great B&B in between Jordaan and the Center proper

Keizers Kanal, B&B, which stands out for excellent location and welcome

Hotel Dwars, which is not only beautiful and well located but also have rooms for up to 4 guests, which make it also handy for families

How to get from Schipol to Amsterdam city center

Schipol is immediately outside of Amsterdam and it super well connected to the city and the easiest way to get into town is the train.

The train station is right inside the main airport arrival hall: you cat ‘tap and go’ using your card (don’t forget to tag off on arrival too) but also ticket machines that accept cash or card: they are yellow and well visible, you cannot miss them. 

The trains from Schipol to Amsterdam Centraal, the city’s main station, are frequent and the ride only takes about 15-20 minutes.

If you prefer a taxi into town, they are available just outside the arrivals hall.

In the evening, they can get you into the city center fast however, at peak traffic times you may get stuck in traffic. 

I found this to be particularly true between 4pm and 6pm, when the many people working in the Schipol area get in the car to go home. 

Especially if arriving at that time, I highly recommend you get the train instead! 

How to get from Amsterdam Central  station to your accommodation

Unless you are staying very near Centraal, Amsterdam central station, chances are you will need to get a tram to get to your hotel or the metro. Both operate with a ‘tap and go’ system (you need to tag on and off) and are safe and efficient.

Just outside the station, you have a large tram terminus and, just in front, you have the GVB Service & Tickets, Stationsplein Central Station info point, should you need maps and help.

How to get around over 2 days in Amsterdam

Amsterdam has several travel cards and transport ticket solutions for visitors and how much or how little convenient they are depends on your plans. 

The main things to consider are:

Where is your accommodation? If you need to get the tram every day more than once, then a travel card is probably a good idea.

A good value one is this public transport card, valid on all GVB trams, metro and buses, all day and night.

How many museums will you see? The I Amsterdam card is a solution combining entrance to museums and public transport.

If you are planning on taking the tram more than once a day and plan on seeing 2 museums or more (of those included) then getting the city card is probably a good idea

If you are staying in a central area and do not plan on visiting more than one museum over the weekend, then you probably do not need the Amsterdam card and will find it better to just pay as you go.  This is particularly true if you are in Amsterdam in the spring, a time when (rain permitting) a stroll along Amsterdam canals is a sightseeing opportunity in itself!

I hope you enjoyed this itinerary and it has given you good ideas on how to spend two days in Amsterdam.

Safe travels!

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